The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a recording medium with which composite images (photographic products) of a plurality of patterns are automatically generated from an image group having a plurality of images owned by a user and are proposed to the user.
For example, in a photo book, a certain number of images from among an image group having a plurality of images (image data) owned by a user are selected, and the selected certain number of images are used to create a collection of photographs (a photo album) having a layout desired by the user. However, there has been a problem in that considerable time and effort is required for the user to select images him or herself that the user wishes to use in a photo book from among a plurality of images owned by the user and to decide upon a layout for the photo book, in other words, how to arrange the images in each page of the photo book.
In this regard, at present, automatic layout functions have been realized with which, for example, the photographing period of images and the number of pages of a photo book are designated so that a certain number of images designated according to the photographing period are automatically selected from among a plurality of images, and the selected certain number of images are used to automatically generate a layout for each page of the photo book designated according to the number of pages. The user can thereby easily create a photo book from a plurality of images owned by the user without requiring time and effort.
However, in conventional automatic layout functions, there has been a problem in that it is difficult to understand the theme of an image group in order to propose, to the user, a photo book that corresponds to the preference of the user. Furthermore, photographic products also include shuffle prints (where a plurality of images are arranged in a random order on one mount), postcards, normal photograph prints, and the like besides photo books; however, all of these have the same problem when constituting a photographic product that requires a composite image to be generated using a certain number of images.
In this regard, Patent Document 1 (JP 2013-20325 A) is a prior art document that is related to the present invention.
Patent Document 1 discloses an information processing apparatus that distributes images for a friend of a user. In such an apparatus, the relationship between the user and the friend is determined by determining section based on the activity of the user on a network, images for the friend are acquired by an acquiring section in accordance with the determination made by the determining section, the images acquired by the acquiring section are arranged by a layout section, and the images arranged by the layout section are distributed to the friend by a distributor.